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Europa Clipper has been encapsulated inside its Falcon Heavy fairing (x.com)

submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works to c/spacex@sh.itjust.works

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https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1842333550974247407

Teams encapsulated @NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft into Falcon Heavy's fairing earlier this week ahead of next week's Falcon Heavy launch from pad 39A in Florida

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[–] ptfrd@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 month ago

The fairing looks spotless. I guess they're using a new one, at least partly for reasons of cleanliness? (Planetary protection and all that.)

With boosters we're at the point where "flight proven" is no longer just a euphemism for "second hand". I've felt that way myself for a few years. And NASA basically confirmed they agree a couple of months ago, when the brand new booster intended for Crew-9 was given a Starlink mission first, increasing confidence in it after a minor problem during transport. (IIRC)

But I'm not sure if we're at that point with fairings. Or even if we'll ever be.